After recently finishing their youth basketball season, the Rec Advisory Board hopes to make some changes to improve sportsmanship at the games.

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By Julie Clements

Butler County Times Gazette

By Julie Clements

Posted Mar. 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM

By Julie Clements

Posted Mar. 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM

El Dorado, Kan.

After recently finishing their youth basketball season, the Rec Advisory Board hopes to make some changes to improve sportsmanship at the games.

Commissioner Shane Krause discussed the issue at the last El Dorado City Commission meeting.

Krause serves as an ex officio member of the board.

“The big issue, the thing that really shocked and amazed us who weren’t involved with the program and the staff was the amount of unsportsmanlike conduct throughout the season,” he said. “They said it was really over the top.”

Krause said the main offenders were fans and parents, with second being coaches and third was the players.

He said parents and fans would yell at coaches from the stands and at officials, as well as coaching players from the stands.

“It just sounded like it made for a pretty unhappy experience for everyone involved this season,” Krause said. “The Rec Department is looking for some changes that can make it a better, more positive experience.”

One of those is the SAGE program, which stands for Set a Good Example. They are looking to expand that program, which involves one person becoming the SAGE leader for their team and controlling the sportsmanship in the stands.

They are also looking at other things they can do.

The slogan for the Rec Department is “It’s not the outcome of the game, it’s the outcome of the child.”

“We want these kids to learn the game and have fun and not have to work under pressure,” Krause said. “I think it’s pretty important we do set a good example for our kids and sportsmanlike behavior for our kids. Hopefully things will get better.”